SmartThings keeps the boat warm during winter
Using SmartThings to control heaters and monitor temperatures on your boat is a great way to ensure things are safe during the winter.
5 min read
Projects
I love working on projects – I always have several in-flight at any time. Many of these projects turn into reviews of various products or technology, which I also enjoy. Almost all of the projects are driven to make my life on the boat more comfortable and safe.
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Charging away from the dock
Charging while away from the dock on the sailboat is a critical piece to enjoying your time on the water. In part 3 of my power upgrade project, I replace the alternator and regulator to ensure my new Firefly batteries are topped up.
5 min read
The arteries and veins of your electrical system
The arteries and veins of your electrical system are the wires, and you need to ensure they are taken care of just as much as the batteries and other parts. In part 2 of my power system upgrade, I replace the majority of my main system wiring to ensure a healthy system.
5 min read
Power System Design
Grace came with a very basic power system which had some major problems. I chose to update it using MasterVolt as the primary charging, distribution and control system, Balmar for engine power management, and Firefly carbon foam batteries as the heart.
9 min read
Solar simplification
My ongoing solar project at our family cabin in Eastern Washington took a simplification turn this last weekend. Much of what I’ve learned rewiring boats and working on DC systems has helped me fine-tune this installation.
7 min read
Terminal fuse blocks saved my batteries
BlueSea terminal fuse blocks saved my Firefly batteries from damage after a short circuit.
2 min read
Ambient LED cabin lights
Quality ambient light throughout the sailboat is a must. Getting this without high power use bulbs is easy with LEDs if you know where to start. Many manufacturers "white" LEDs look terrible, so choose carefully.
6 min read
Installing a Wallas heater
My sailboat did not come with a heater, and Wallas has one of the best you could install. You can do it yourself as well.
7 min read
Grace's integrated 5 part network
Large sailboat network including NMEA 2000, SeaTalk, MasterBus, WiFi and ethernet. I believe in deeply integrated and instrumented systems, and want to know everything about anything, anywhere.
11 min read
Halogen light replacement with CREE LEDs
Good quality lighting is not something you have to sacrifice on a sailboat. It can also be economical now with the advent of LEDs. CREE LEDs are my favorite because of their color and quality, and I replaced almost everything on Grace with them.
4 min read
Sending AIS data to multiple servers over a limited cellular link
Having an AIS receiver on the sailboat means I can take that data and share it with AIS websites, as a base station. Doing that from a bandwidth-limited cellular connection creates some challenges which can be overcome with some scripting.
6 min read
Replacing cockpit hatch boards with Zarcor doors
Standard hatch boards on a Beneteau 311 are heavy and hard to use. I wanted something easier to open and close, and more useful when closed. Zarcor has a history of making doors for all makes of boats, and they worked for me too.
5 min read